Generation X Meets The Master Thief
by Richard B. Sampson Jr
Summary: In his attempts to capture Penance, Emplate inlists the help of Carmen Sandiego. However, the legendary criminal mastermind, as well as Generation X, are unaware of the full scheme of things until one person forms a link between several of them.


Generation X Meets The Master Thief   
(All Gen-X Characters are copyrighted by Marvel. Carmen Sandiego and all afiliated with her is copyrighted by Bourderbund Software)   
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Carmen sat in her hideout thinking up of a new plan to tease Acme with. She did love commiting crimes, but the thrill of the hunt was her true love. At least it would be if it weren't for a recent Acme Agent. His name was Cyber. That was all she knew. He was a nuicense. He knew what she was going to do, before she did it. She thought she had a spy in her group, but who. Recently, Sara Bellum attempted a take over, and her one Time Traveller, Baron Wasteland was acting a little odd. She was going to check on them when someone entered her presence. She turned in her chair and saw her Cyborg scientist, Dr. Belljar, escorting a very small man into the room. The man gave her a bit of the creeps. Dr. Belljar just looked at her and said, "This man to see you, Carmen."   
She looked at the man again. A midget in a chaueffer's uniform. He had a tag on his hat which read D.O.A. Carmen decided to see what the man wanted. In a casual tone, she asked, "What is it you would like, a part in my organization?"   
The man, without letting the grin leave his face, replied, "No, I come here speaking for my employer. He would like you to `obtain' something for him."   
She leaned forward and said, "Who is your employer?" The man just handed her a paper. She glanced over it and saw only a name on it. She was shocked to she whose named it was. "I thought he was dead. Acme has him listed as dead."   
The man just said, "Probably what they want the whole group to think. He was the only murderer."   
He had a point. She heard of the hunt for him, but the files she found listed him as killed in self defense. Was this a lie, and if so, she didn't know who had concocted it. Was it the Chief himself, or was it Him. She rarely spoke His name, mainly because most of her agents froze in fear upon hearing it. She had hired hitmen to take out that agent only to have each one stopped, including the most dangerous one she could find. She was about to tell the man she would take the job, when she heard a noise. She turned and saw the door open ajar. She motioned to Dr. Belljar, and with great speed he moved to the door and opened it. In fell Baron Wasteland. She looked at the man and said, "I had a feeling it was you."   
The Baron just looked at her and said, "What do you mean, Carmen?" He was scared and she could tell.   
"You've been spying, for Cyber and Acme, haven't you?" She could feel her blood boiling. She had to teach the Baron a lesson he would never forget. She pushed a button and instantly one of her henchman entered. His face covered except for his mouth, in a striped shirt. He looked down at the Baron, and she said, "Take him to a Time Port and send him to the Jurrasic Age." The figure just nodded and drug Baron Wasteland off. She could hear him scream until the door closed. She turned and smiled, "Well, it looks like this is one crime Acme won't know about until after it is commited. I'll take the job."   
Before the little man could say anything, the door to her office was opened swiftly as a half naked man entered the room. "Carmen, Cyber is here. He jumped me and snatched my uniform." She quickly put two and two together. The Baron wasn't going to the Jurrasic, he was going to be escorted to Acme HQ. She hit the alarm faster than she thought about it. 

Baron Wasteland was scared. Carmen had found him out, and now he was doomed. Then, something odd happened. When they were out of earshot, the henchman stopped and said, "Would you please stop screaming?"   
The voice he recognized instantly. He turned and looked at the figure and said, "Cyber." The figure nodded. "How did you know?"   
The man picked him up and said, "I've been doing this job a long time. I can get inside Carmen's head faster than she can. Now, we better get out of here."   
Baron Wasteland understood his urgency. If Carmen realized that he was here, she would possibly kill them both. He looked around and pointed right. "This way will take us out of here." Cyber just nodded. Baron was surprised that the agent wore none of his armor. In fact, if they found him without the armor, Carmen would know who the mystery agent was. All of a sudden, the alarm went off.   
Cyber just looked up and said, "Time for a fast getaway." Baron Wasteland watched as Cyber tapped his watch. Instantly the armor was on him, and the helmet was over his face. They contined running toward the exit. It would have been clear sailing if Jaqulene didn't show up.   
The Baron just looked at the girl as she said, "Not visiting without saying Hi isn't very nice." Seeing the change happen always was a startling sight, especially when she had a gas gun in her hands. "So let's say hi," said the malicious side of Hyde. The gas was just fired from the gun when Cyber let sparks fly. The Baron covered his ears as an explosion rocked the place.   
Cyber pulled him forward and said, "Come on. That is sure to bring everyone here." The Baron just nodded as they ran out the door. Instantly, he saw one of Acme's C-5 corridors open. He jumped in, and flew straight through. He was ready for this. He was going to pay back for all his crimes. 

Cyber quickly turned around and ran back to the door. He didn't want anyone following them to Acme. Carmen's lot of crooks were nuts already. He remembered when Carmen had snatched Shelly's first manuscript. It put everything at risk. He even remembered his first case. He almost got nostalgic when he heard metal. He blasted at the doorway, blocking it off. He turned only to see Sir Vile standing there. "Surrender Naive, or prepare for thy death." Sir Vile leveled his lance and charged at him.   
Cyber quickly clicked his heels together. The shoes shot him upward and he manuvered himself toward the C-5. He watched as Sir Vile just rammed his lance into the stone. "So long Sir Vile, I hope you don't mind a hot foot." With that he aimed his one glove at the knight's feet and fired concentrated plasma at them. As he entered the C-5, he heard Sir Vile's screams of pain.   
When he emerged from the C-5, he heard the chief say, "Well done, old friend, but Carmen has another crime in the works."   
Cyber removed his helmet and said, "Where, or what is the target?"   
"Not sure, but the Baron said something about the name being a surprise to Carmen?"   
Cyber thought about it for a moment. Carmen managed to hack into the computers so many times that she could be talking about anyone. "Are we monitoring her activities, right now?"   
The chief quickly brought up a screen, which showed Carmen's current location. She was still at Vile HQ, at least one they knew about. Then the signal quickly changed position. "That was fast."   
Cyber looked up at the chief. "I didn't know she had that technology." Normally, if Carmen moved, they could trace her movement from the base with ease. But this was too quick. From now on, they relied on her leaving clues behind. It was her M.O. "Where is she?"   
The chief quickly zoomed in the map section. "Got it. She headed to Snow Valley, Mass. Wonder if she's going to snatch the Massachucetts Academy?"   
Cyber had deactivated his suit and put on a black trenchcoat and fedora. "Sounds like a target. I'll head over there. If we're lucky, we can catch Carmen before she heists the school." Instantly, the C-5 opened and Cyber was on his way. 

************************************** 

Chief Authier sat at his desk working on a report. His daughter was visiting her friends from the school. He knew they were mutants, but he had dealt with nice mutants before. He could swear he had seen one of the kids before, but he couldn't place where. He was so caught up in his work that he almost didn't hear the thud in the back room. He listened for a moment before he got up. He glanced at the door to the room to see a brief flash of blue. He saw someone approach the door and he just said, "Long time."   
The figure just looked at him and said, "How did you know it was me?" Authier didn't have to say a word. The figure just put his hand to his head and said, "I remember. So how's your daughter?"   
"Fine. How's yours?" He relized he shouldn't have asked when he saw a tear come to his friend's eye. "Never mind. I gather something happened. So what brings you to Snow Valley?"   
"Same thing that dragged me to where you were last time we met, Carmen Sandiego." Authier frowned. Last time he saw that crook, he was almost caught in the crossfire.   
"She's not going to try and shoot you again, is she?"   
"No, she doesn't even know that Cyber is the same person." Authier let out a sigh of relief. He noticed his friend giving him a glance. It said `I understand'.   
"So, what is she after?"   
"Closest thing I can figure is the Massachucetts Academy. I have information which makes it a good target. Almost 4 centuries in age. Owned by one of the fortune five hundred."   
"Did you include it's a mutant school?" His friend just looked at him. "You didn't know. Nice kids, my daughter is friends with them."   
"An exclusive school for mutants, terrific. So who are some of the students?"   
"Paige Guthrie, Jubilation Lee, Monet St. Croix..."   
"WHAT??????"   
"You recognized one of them?" He was surprised at the reaction. He had to have a long talk with his friend.   
"Long story, and another life, but it gives us another target. Where is your daughter right now?"   
He thought for a moment and then said, "At the mall outside of town. You think she might be in trouble?" His friend nodded and they were both out the door. 

Jubilee just sat at the table with Tracy, while Monet and Paige got the food. Tracy just looked around and said, "Is Monet always like that?" Jubilee knew what Tracy meant.   
Jubilee looked at her newest friend and said, "Stuck up and snotty, yep. Just because she comes from a high society family, she thinks she deserves the best attention."   
"And it is because I do, Jubilee." Jubilee spun around to see Monet looking down at her, with a sort of smurk on her face. "Now, shall we eat?"   
Jubilee was about to tell Monet off when Paige sat down and said, "Why not a little girl talk? Could be fun?" Maybe that would take the edge off everything. In all truth, Jubilee thought she saw a figure from her past, but she ignored it.   
Tracy just spoke up first and said, "Ok. How's your boyfriend, Paige?" Jubilee swore that Paige would have killed Tracy for that, but they all knew the truth of the matter.   
"Jono's fine, Tracy. But that is a good question, who of us have boyfriends?" Jubilee was a bit worried when Paige said that. Ever since Gaia arrived, she believed that she had lost Everett to her.   
Monet just kept eating and said, "Boyfriends are a waste of time." Jubilee had finally had enough of Monet's snobbish attitude.   
"Listen Monet, just because you've never had a boyfriend doesn't allow you to pass judgement."   
"For your information, Jubilee, I did have a boyfriend for a brief time." They were all taken back by this. "But he left, and didn't say why. All he said was that it wouldn't work. I had no idea why he said that." Jubilee wondered if it had anything to do with Emplate, but she didn't want to say that in front of Tracy. Tracy didn't believe that they were mutants, but she might have suspected.   
Paige then said, "Sounds like your letting one bad experience ruin it for all. Ah'm sure that if he could have said why, he would. The way you say it, it sould like you're saying men are a nuisance."   
"Oh, but she's right." The voice that said that sent a chill through Jubilee's body. It couldn't be her. She turned around to see a woman in a red hat and trenchcoat. This day went from good to `Why did I get up'. The woman just continued, "I've had a man chase me all my life. It get's monotonous."   
Jubilee saw that Monet was about to agree, but she had to cut her off. Jubilee just said, "You've should have been caught by now." She didn't realize the forcefulness in her voice. It must have been instinct. The woman neared her and smiled.   
"Well, well, a former Acme agent. Too bad I can't place your face." She saw how everyone in the area all moved back. Jubilee realized that there was going to be trouble. She just hoped that there was an Acme agent around. "I would be worried, but there is no way Acme knows I'm here, nor is there anyway that they know my objective."   
Monet responded by saying, "What are you after, Ms. Sandiego?" Monet didn't know what Carmen would be after, but something told Jubilee that it was one of them. She then saw the answer to Monet's question.   
Behind Monet came a man that looked like a mix of robot and human, and a woman. She recognized the woman as Sara Bellum, but the man was a mystery. The man just said, "We came for you." They snapped something on Monet and she collapsed to the ground.   
"Well done, Dr. Belljar. That should keep her quiet until we leave. Now, we should be going, but I do have something for you." Jubilee was praying for help. With everyone watching, no one could use their mutant abilities.   
"Freeze Carmen, in the name of the law." Jubilee turned to look. All she saw was Chief Authier holding his gun level. This help wasn't going to help much, but at least it lifted Tracy's spirits.   
Carmen just laughed. Jubilee could tell that Carmen wasn't scared of the police officer. "I don't think you have the manpower to stop me by yourself."   
At that point, Jubilee heard a voice say, "You're right, Carmen. But he's not alone." It sounded familiar, and it offered great hope as Carmen had a look of fear on her face. She watched as a figure came flying over the railing of the second floor. It was that of a man with a helmet and gloves. Carmen turned and just in time to get a powerful plasma bust to knock her off her feet. Jubilee smiled. This was an Acme Agent. 

Cyber looked at the scene after knocking Carmen back. Sitting at the table was someone he remembered. He remembered that the Chief had recruited her as an Acme Agent, but it was his own actions that caused her to quit. At least she wasn't up to no-good. He looked at the girl that Belljar and Bellum held. It was someone he didn't want to see caught up in this. He wanted to tell her who he was, but he didn't. Too many of the wrong people here. He heard Carmen yell, "Don't stand there, stop him."   
He watched as Bellum started to advance. She had some sort of gun, all ready to fire. He activated the left glove and swung it. The gun fell apart instantly. Both started to step back, and turn to run. He raised his right arm, activate a gun on it and fired. A cybersphere quickly imprisoned the two. He turned to Carmen and simply said, "You're next."   
She just smiled and said, "Dan't think that this is God's will." He saw her push a button on her sleeve. He then felt it. A heavy vibration in the floor, but where was it coming from. He saw Chier Authier run and get the girl out of the way. The vibrations got heaver, and he turned to look. He just saw the muscle bound oaf coming toward him. Who was this? He activate his shoe, but his timing was too late. He was halfway in the air when it hit him and sent him flying. He heard a cling and hoped he hadn't lost something of his armor.   
He activated the flight pack he wore, and saw Carmen and the big oaf, carrying the cybersphere, run down a corridor. "Not this time, Carmen," he yelled as he followed her. As he flew in, he didn't see her. Where did she go so fast? He cursed under his breath and left the corridor. He returned to the food court area and said, "How is everyone?"   
The police chief said, "Fine, but she did nab something. It was a pendant of some sort." He started to panic. He deactivated his gloves and felt at his neck. It was gone. His pendant was gone.   
He just looked at them all and said, "Ever have one of those days where you wonder why you got out of bed?"   
The oriental girl just said, "Yea, it's today. I was hoping not to see Carmen again." The attitude and looks fit. It was her, his second, and last partner.   
"At least we have a clue, but I suggest I stay at your school for a while. Carmen is after something there." No one protested, but he knew he would have to deal with the teachers. This was going to be a fun assignment. He figured that the teachers might be unreasonable, but that was the breaks. He sighed and deactivated his armor. He returned to his black fadora and trenchcoat and said, "Let's go." 

Monet was abit rattled after that, but it really disturbed her what had happened. Bulwark was the one who rushed the Acme Agent. When she was out of the restraints, she watched as the man motioned them to follow and she then went to Jubilee and Paige. "Something's definately not right. That was Bulwark who rush that Agent."   
Jubilee looked at her and said, "You mean Carmen is working with Emplate, but why?"   
"I don't know, but it has something to do with me. Maybe she is after something of my fathers, and went to Emplate for help. I definately don't think it would be the other way round." She then noticed that Jubilee had her gaze fixed on the Agent. "What's wrong, now?"   
Jubilee just said softly, "I know him."   
Monet turned to face Jubilee, a little in shock. She noticed that Paige shared the look on her face. Paige then said, "How? Ah mean, Carmen claimed you were an Acme Agent, but that can't be true, can it?"   
Jubilee just continued looking straight ahead, "When my folks were killed, and a short time before I joined the X-Men, I was approached by an Acme Agent. I was teamed with the best. But then he left, disappeared. I asked the head of Acme about it, but he wouldn't say why. I left Acme, quit actually, but I still remember all that, especially what the Agent had shown me."   
This was worring her. She started to think that Jubilee was rambling, shook up by what happened. "So what did he show you?" Jubilee just pointed to the figure's right hand. Monet noticed that on the back of the hand had three scars on it, like claw marks.   
"He said he got that from a hit man hired to kill him. Only one ever to draw blood from him."   
They both gasped and Paige said, "How tough is he?"   
Jubilee then said the most surprising thing. "Last time I saw him, he was more cybernetic. Now, he's almost human." She took another look at the gentleman that saved her life. This had worried her abit. Was this man like a Prime Sentinel, and if so, was this trouble for Gen X? 

************************************** 

Emplate watched as Carmen Sandiego entered his main chamber. He was not thrilled when he found out the plan had been foiled, but it meant other options. Monet was going to be the bait to get Penance. He didn't care about who was housed in the form, but the girl herself was more than she seemed to Gen X, and only he knew that, even after his M-Plate experience. He looked at his one time foe, now ally, and said, "What happened?"   
Carmen just looked at him and said, "I was able to leave the clue you devised, but I was unable to kidnap your father's favorite treasure. I was stopped by an Acme Agent." He didn't need to hear that. If Acme knew he was involved, he was sure to be attacked. Acme frowned on murder. They could forgive theivery, but not murder.   
"Do they know of my involvement?" She shooked her head, at least that was a good sign, but then, they didn't know his new name.   
She smiled and said, "One good thing about this is now I can find out the identity of Cyber, the agent that stopped us." She held up a locket. He swore he saw it before, but couldn't place it. She openned it up and he saw a look of shock cross her face. She dropped the locket and yelled, "THAT SNEAK. I should have know Cyber was him."   
He reached down for the locket and asked her, "Who is it?"   
He stopped when he heard what she said, "Silverkidd. He quits, lists himself as dead, and rejoins under another name." He gazed down at the locket and saw the picture. It was of Yvette, before he merged her with his sister. He stepped back.   
He looked at Carmen and said, "How can that be? I fought him, and killed him..." He stopped his sentence and thought for a moment. He then completed it, "..when I killed his lady love. He can't be alive." He didn't want to tell Carmen that he had taken Yvette. He knew how much she would do to make sure the girl wasn't orphaned again. Carmen was responsable for making her an orphan in the first place.   
"He survived that ordeal, and taken in an orphan. Something happen and she disappeared on an assignment. I don't know what, but he got to train another, but he left." This indeed complicated the plans. If Penance recognized him, it would mean disaster. This was a most dangerous situation. If Silverkidd knew of his envolvement, he would be gunning for him.   
"Then you must try again. Maybe something bolder, and make sure Silverkidd is out of comission."   
"I might want to call in an old friend, if I could find them, or maybe Belljar and Bellum can come up with something." She walked out of the room. He hoped that the two scientists could device a plan quickly. The longer that Silverkidd was with Gen X, the more likely he could find out that his daughter was still alive. 

Carmen walked over to her two scientists. They were working on another trapping device. Knowing that Monet was a mutant ment taking special measures. This trap was taking a unique look to it. It resembled something on a cartoon called a Poke Ball, except it was much larger. She looked at her scientists and said, "I have a special request for you two."   
Sara turned to her and said, "What is it, Carmen? This trap is almost ready for use."   
"Fine, but I need you two to develop a special device that will scramble electronic circuits."   
Dr. Belljar looked at her and said, "Why do you need that, to deactivate Cyber's devices. I've tried to figure out how to do that, but I can't. The only thing I could come up with was a theory on how to immobilzed Him, but He died before that could be tested."   
Bellum looked up and said, "Cyber's just as bad as Him. He caught almost all of us on multiple occasions."   
She decided that they should hear the bomb shell. "The reason for Cyber being just as bad as Him is that he is Him." Both her scientists were shocked. She then said, "Just find out a way to immoblize him. If he dies and I can be linked to it, Acme will have no rest until all of Vile is put away." They nodded and immediately started to work on the device. She left the lab and walked around the lair. She realized it was an abandoned Acme safehouse. As she wondered, she came to a room full of claw marks. She noticed something about them. She started to think. Marius hesitated in his responce to Silverkidd being alive. She dismissed the thought quickly. Marius would know better than that. She decided to wait for the device to be completed. 

************************************** 

Sean was not to thrilled when he saw the police car driving up to the school. He knew that the police chief helped them out in a way, but why did he have to escort the girls here, unless he discovered that they were mutants. He watched as the girls got out of the back of the car and the chief got out of the front with a man dressed in black. He went to the door and openned the door and politely asked, "Chief Authier, to what do we owe this visit?"   
The man in black looked at him and said, "Sean, is that you?" The voice sounded so familiar to him, but he couldn't place it.   
"Do I know ye?" The man rolled his eyes. There was something familiar in his stance and how he carried himself. He reached out a badge from his coat and opened it. Sean gasped in amazement. "Is that ye lad? I didn't recognized ye without the..." He held up his left hand and he stopped.   
"I wish this was a social call, but Carmen Sandiego just tried to spirit away one of your students." Sean looked over at the rest of the group and they all nodded. He could tell there was something else. The man turned and said to the police chief, "Listen, I don't want you and your daughter to get caught in the middle of this. Why don't you take her home?"   
The police chief looked at him and said, "Won't you need help?"   
"You don't want to get caught in a crossfire. She has my pendent and knows who I am. I'd rather you be safe. I can handle myself." The chief nodded and took his daughter home. When the two left, the man turned back to Sean and said, "Can I talk to you and any other teacher in the school, now, and in private."   
"Alright. Why don't you lasses' all head to the gym and practice, and tell Emma to meet me in my office." He then led the man in black to his office. When the door was closed he said, "When did ye get so concerned about me saying who you are?"   
The man took off his hat and said, "Because I didn't need some people knowing who I really am, Sean. Some of your students I have met before, one of them was an agent of Acme." Sean could help but look at the agent in surprise. "Would you tell me who it is?"   
"Sean, that was another lifetime for me. One with a part I would not like to remember, but the important thing right now is that Carmen came after one of your students."   
Sean sat behind his desk and said, "So, who was the target?"   
"Monet St. Croix. Most likely Carmen is trying to get something her father has." Sean ran what the Acme Agent said through his brain. Did the agent know about Emplate, or did that fact about the St. Croix family been hidden from Acme as well. "Acme knows that it couldn't be planned by family, because there are only two younger siblings that Monet has, and no older siblings."   
At that time, Sean saw Emma enter the room and she said, "So this thief tried to kidnap Monet because her father is rich. So why the elaborate trapping device." The detective just sighed. 

Emma Frost was not thrilled to hear that one of her students was almost kidnapped, but the means used meant something. She had a feeling she knew how this detective would answer. She watched as the detective sat back in the chair and said, "Acme has a long standing history of mutant encounters. In fact, I was a little surprised to find this was a mutant school. Chief Authier informed me of that, but he knows that most mutant are just like regular people. Hell, he's a mutant himself."   
Emma was taken back by this, and she noticed that Sean was as well. "Are you going to press charges?"   
"No. Acme's investigations never arrest mutants. We ignore all mutant control laws because they are against the law. My graduating class from the Acme Academy was mostly mutants. About half of Acme's agents are mutants. In fact, any Acme agent that is a mutant has immunity from the anti-mutant laws."   
Sean looked at him and said, "How?"   
"If you have Acme investigating a crime and you arrest their agents, how do you think they would treat you from then on? And no, your school can't have immunity because the kid I recognized is no longer an agent."   
Emma looked at the agent and said, "Who is it that was an agent?" She knew he wouldn't say, but maybe she could discretely find the answer to her question. She stood behind the agent and started a mind probe. As she mentally entered the agent's mind, she saw a few things. She saw Monet's face, Jubilee's face, but there were other memories locked away. She tried to probe into the image she saw, but she couldn't. There was a thick wall behind the memories, but she could tell there was a link. She stopped her probe and said, "Is there any way that we can help?"   
The agent just looked at her and said, "Yes, two things actually. One, direct me to your library so I can try and decipher a clue."   
Sean then said, "What's the second?"   
The agent said to her, "Next time I don't want to share information with you, don't take it on yourself to obtain it." She saw Sean glare at her. She told the agent where to go and watched as he left.   
Sean looked at her and said, "Ye shouldn't have done that Emma. We don't need him to turn us in to the authorites."   
Emma just looked at him and said, "He knows both Monet and Jubilee. One of them must have worked with him."   
Sean nodded and said, "But there is more to it. Monet would be more of a target for Emplate." She knew he was right.   
"The girls said that one of Emplate's goons was there. Do you think he inlisted Carmen?" It was a working theory.   
"I don't know, but Acme believes there is no older St. Croix sibling."   
"Or the agent is lying about that. He had a lot of memories shut off from me. I would not be surprised if our agent there has encountered Emplate once in his life." She knew that Sean was thinking about this, but this meant that Monet was only bait. The real target was Penance. She then wondered another thought. Even though they had learned Penance was Monet, maybe there was something more to Penance and did this agent of Acme have a link to Penance and Emplate, and if so, what was it? 

Jubilee quietly trailed the Acme agent. She learned this partially from her Acme days, but more so before she joined the X-Men. She was sure of who he was. Eventually she watched as the agent enter the library. Did Carmen leave a clue? She thought about her words as she left. `Don't think that this is God's will.' That was what Carmen said, wasn't it. She thought about it again and started to think something else. She watched as he was scanning the shelves. She slowly sneeked in, and moved over to another shelf. She scanned it quickly and found what she was looking for. She grabbed the book and ducked into a shelf. She watched as the Agent came into view, glancing at the wall of shelves that she had pulled the book from. He stopped at the space and was about to leave the room. Now was the time. "Looking for this?" She held up the book.   
The Agent turned and gazed at her. "Yes, now please hand it over."   
He wasn't going to get it without answering her questions. "Ok, but you have to answer me some question, like why you left?"   
The Agent just glared at her and said, "I have no idea what you are talking about."   
She returned the glare and said, "Yeah right, the scar on your right hand tells me you're lying. All I want to know is why you left."   
The Agent took off his hat and said, "I wish I never showed you that scar. Is that how you knew it was me, Spark?" The nickname brought back some nice memories, but it wasn't time for that. She nodded and he just said, "You know, I didn't think you would have quit. It wasn't in you to just quit."   
She walked over to his side and said, "So why did you quit? Was it because I was a mutant?"   
"Somewhat. You see Spark, in the Acme academy there are rumors of a lost class. All agents are considered dead. I was part of that lost class. I was the oddball of the group. The only non-mutant."   
She started to wonder where he was going with the story. "Did you resent them, hate them?" She hoped it wasn't the second.   
He just chuckled and said, "No, quite the opposite. I got along with all but one of them. I was even engaged to one of them. Then they were all murdered, by a fellow Acme agent. My fiancee was the last to die. They didn't kill me, because I wasn't a mutant."   
"So you quit when you found out I was a mutant because..."   
"I didn't want to face that pain again. I even shut off the robotic exosuit I wore." She was surprised by this. "When you were assigned to me as a partner, I was a little leary. The chief never informed me of your background. Seeing another in a robotic exosuit made me sympathize because of how I got mine."   
"I chose to have the suit, didn't you?" She remembered having an exosuit like his, but it was a little different.   
"For me, it was a case of being able to move again. I never told you that, did I?" She shook her head and he said, "While fleeing from Acme, Carmen hit me as a kid. I would have been perminatly paralyzed if not for Acme. In return, I joined Acme because they gave my life back to me. I didn't want to be wheelchair bound all my life."   
She suddenly realized that when he left years before, he didn't want to quit, he wanted to be alone. She felt a little ashamed for quitting. She then said, "So, Silverkidd.."   
"Cyber. I've been going as Agent Cyber since that day."   
"Ok. Why did Carmen make a reference to this book?" She handed the book over to him and said, "What does Dante's Inferno have to do with Monet?"   
He paged through the book and said, "It's not Inferno. It's called the Divine Comedy. It was written in three parts. Inferno, Purgatorio, and Pardisio. The answer to it is in one of these parts. When did you realize she said Dant instead of Don't"   
She smiled and said, "I didn't until I followed you in here. Tell you what, I'll talk with the teachers and maybe we can figure something out before Carmen strikes again." He nodded and she ran out. She didn't want to say anything about Burwalk or Emplate. She didn't want him to know about this now that she knew that he had lost mutant friends before, but maybe it answered the question of what Carmen was after. 

He kept running over the text. Why did Carmen refer to this book? What was she after? He read the text over and over and tried to figure it out. It was starting to frustrate him. He just lost it and shouted, "What the blazes are you after, Carmen?"   
He wasn't expecting an answer, but received it. "You mean she wasn't after me." His blood ran cold. He recognized the voice. "Why didn't you ever tell me you were an Acme Agent? Was that why you said it wouldn't work, that Carmen might hurt me?"   
He felt upset about that. He turned and faced his accusor, Monet St. Croix, and said, "No. I can't say it now, like I couldn't say it then."   
"Don't you mean won't?" She hit the nail on the head. "Did my father know about all that?"   
He couldn't lie to her about it anymore. "Yes, he knew. He had always known. You remember when we first met." She nodded. "It was the morning after I had been ambushed by a criminal." He made a fist when she glanced at his hand. He didn't want her to see the scar. He didn't want her to know the whole truth.   
"Is that why your hand was bandaged up the whole time, because of that scar?" He nodded. She had bought the yarn he just wove. "So you left to protect us, in case someone else attacked you?"   
He nodded. "Was all I could do Monet. I still keep a photo of you. I have photo's of all my friends, no matter who they are."   
"Could I see my picture?" He nodded and pulled out his wallet. He openned it carefully, making sure that Monet would never see his Acme class photo. He didn't want her discovering the truth, it would hurt her more than everything else. She smiled and said, "I never knew you kept this picture."   
He took it out and said, "Hold onto it. Just to know that I still care." She kissed him on the cheek and he blushed. He watched as she left the room. He figured she had just changed for the better. 

Only earlier that day, Monet was thinking that all men did was break hearts. She didn't want to get hurt again, but now she learned the truth. The way he acted was odd, though, but she didn't care. There was one person she could tell this to, no two. She ran to find her sisters. Ever since the biosphere had disappeared, finding the form of Penance was a difficult task. She ran all over, but then stopped. One person could help best in this, Everett. She quickly headed to find Everett. She found Everett talking to Gaia. It had appeared that Everett was fond of Gaia, from when he first saw her. She walked over to them and said, "Excuse me, Everett, but I need your help."   
Everett just looked at her and said, "What's up?"   
She knew this might sound odd, but she didn't want to say anything about this to anyone but her sisters. "Can you help me find Penance? I want to talk to my sisters." It was a bit difficult to know who was in control of that form, but either one would do.   
Everett sighed and said, "Okay." He turned to Gaia and said, "Talk to you later." After Gaia walked away, he turned to her and said, "Ok, what's the rush?"   
Monet just said, "I just want to talk to my sisters. Something... rather unique has happened."   
Everett just looked at her and said, "You're in love with the Acme Agent, aren't you?" Ok, so it wasn't that big a secret, but Monet knew she could trust Everett with that much.   
"Yes, except, I was in love with him long before now. I was in love with him before what my brother did to me." She saw the surprise in his eyes. She said, "One night, Acme fought a criminal who tried to rob my father. The Agent here was the one that was there and was injured. He never said anything about his work with Acme, but that was because he didn't want me getting hurt. He left for that reason alone. Now he's back, and I felt I should tell my sisters. When this happened, they were away for a few days. Not to soon after that, Emplate imprisoned me in that form of Penance."   
She saw Everett smile and say, "You want to share the good news with family. I can respect that." All of a sudden, she saw his aura shoot out. They started to run after it. Monet could feel the excitement mounting in her body. She had some good news to tell her little sisters. Finally, she saw Everett stop. They were outside one of the lounges. Everett just said, "She's in there. Listen, I hope Penance like the news." With that, she watched Everett leave the area. She slowly entered the room and glanced around. Eventually, she saw the blue eyes that belonged to Penance. 

Sean was a little surprised when he saw Jubilee enter the room, but less surprised than he thought he would be. He looked at the young girl and said, "What is it, lass?"   
He noticed that Jubilee seemed abit nervous about what she was going to say, but she spoke anyway. "Sir, I think I know what Carmen is after, but I'm not sure she knows exactly what she's after."   
Emma then said, "You were the former Acme agent, weren't you?" He watched as Jubilee nodded. Emma then said, "So you probably came to the same conclusion we came to?"   
Jubilee nodded and responded, "Carmen is working with Emplate and helping him capture Penance, but she doesn't know it."   
Sean was puzzled by this statement. "How could Carmen Sandiego, a legendary criminal in her own time, not know what she was after? And how are you so sure about this?"   
Jubilee quietly said, "Detective instinct. Forgot I had it. When Carmen tried to abduct Monet, her clue made an odd reference to Dante."   
Sean was abit puzzled by this statement, "You mean she sited a passage in Dante's Inferno." He saw Jubilee shake her head. He missed something.   
Emma then said, "You mean the whole work."   
Jubilee nodded and said, "Yes. Most people overlook the other parts of The Divine Comedy. Cyber is looking through it puzzling over what the true target is. He doesn't know about Penance, and that she is the real target."   
Sean looked at Jubilee in surprise. He never knew that she had this potential, but then, he never really saw her study either. "How do you know the clue refered to Penance, and that Carmen didn't devise it?"   
Jubilee smiled and said, "It seems to be a Carmen clue, with a hidden meaning, but it's different. There is more depth to it. Carmen would have said something a little more direct, but subtle. This is too deeply hidden. Emplate is trying to hide this from her. Emplate would realize that the clue would take a while to puzzle over, except that it would be quicker to find the answer if Monet was captured. The Dante reference didn't refer to Inferno, but the second part of the Divine Comedy, `Purgatorio.'"   
Sean realized what she said. It was a reference to Penance, and being Irish, he knew how to piece it together. Emma said the first part of what seemed a joint rational thought, "Purgatorio is Latin for Purgatory."   
Sean filled in the rest when he said the next words, "Purgatory is where one serves Penance for their minor sins."   
Jubilee then said the scarest thing, for he saw the fear in her eyes, "Now, how did Emplate learn how to think like Carmen, unless..."   
Sean got up from his desk and said, "I think we need to have a talk with the Acme Agent. He may know more that he's letting us know." With that, he lead Emma and Jubilee out of the room. 

Nicole had seen her sister in the doorway, and could tell that she was happy. Mentally in the joint mind, she said, Claudette, they might have found a way to get us out of this cursed form.> She didn't know why she bothered to say anything. It was always hard to tell if her sister was listening.   
When Monet finally got near her, she said, "Sisters, I have some wonderful news, but not as wonderful as you hope. Someone has returned to my life. My boyfriend from long ago has arrived. He saved me from Carmen Sandiego, but I fear it was an attempt at something else. I believe Marius is involved, but I can not be sure."   
Nicole felt something poke at her mind. Was Claudette trying to take control at this time? Nicole heard Monet continue, "I never knew he was an Acme Agent. He said that when we found him, Carmen had ambushed him, and hurt him bad, scarring him. That was why he left." She noticed Monet pulled out a picture. "That's him. That is Richard Silver."   
Nicole felt another poke at her mind, but this time she heard a voice with it. Papa,> was all the voice said. That was odd. That wasn't Claudette. Then a scary thought hit her mind, what if Marius had destoried Monet's body and imprisoned her mind in another body, with the mind for that body. In that brief moment of thought, her mind lost control of the Penance form, and this third mind took control of the body.   
Nicole mentally spoke up as she watched the world fly by, and Monet yelling behind them. Who are you, and where are you taking us?>   
The voice responded, My papa is here to take me home.>   
Who are you?>   
My name is Yvette, like your sister's middle name. Your brother abducted me. I thought Papa was dead. I had hope that he was still alive, but I never knew. Your brother then inprisoned you sister's mind in my body, and blocked my mind off from hers.>   
Nicole didn't like the sound of that, but how could she respond. What can he do to help us?>   
The third mind spoke again, Maybe he can help us all. Maybe he can find a way to end all this suffering we have had. He will find a way that none of us will die from.> They raced down the hall towards the Library, where she noticed someone had just entered. 

Cyber looked over the text what seemed to be his tenth time, and everytime he read over it, it made him more upset. What, or who, was Carmen after? It had something to do with the mutants at this school, but what exactly he could not put a finger on. He was so engrossed in finding the answer that he never heard them enter into the room. He was only aware of someone when he heard Jubilee say, "I believe they say confession is good for the soul." He looked up and saw Jubilee, Sean and Emma Frost standing there in front of him.   
He stood and said, "Very cryptic, Spark, and I am getting sick of cryptic. I still cannot figure out this blasted clue. Now, why did you say that?" It was more a demand than a question, but he had to get the point across to her. If he did, however, she didn't let it show.   
Sean then asked him a question, "Can ye tell us what ye know about this mutant?" He held up a print out. It showed a hideous full length figure, in need of a respirator unit. Then Cyber noticed it, the hands. Was this Marius, and if so, what had happened? Did the souls of those he killed get vengence, or did he start cannibalizing himself? "He's called Emplate, and all we know about him is that he is Monet's brother."   
Emma Frost then said, "Not long after we started this school, a girl was dropped off here. We concluded that she had been a victim of Emplate's for years, but never found out everything." When he heard the words about a girl, his heart almost jumped. He had little hope, but could his adopted daughter be alive. He had remembered the day he lost her to Marius. The Honor battle that Marius challenged him to, except that Marius used his anger to defeat him, leaving him for dead, and taken Yvette away.   
He then heard Jubilee say, "Not to long ago, we found out that Emplate had imprisoned Monet in Penny's body, and now Monet's twin sisters switched places with her." Penny? This was new information to him. He did know Marius had magical potential. He had found out some of Marius' course at the Acme Academy were in the magical arts. Had Marius combined Monet with Yvette, but according to what Jubilee just said, that meant, Monet's sisters were stuck with Yvette. Now who was Penny?   
He looked at the three people and said, "Who is Penny?"   
Almost immediatly, he got a responce. At the doorway to the library, a lone figure entered. He recognized her right away, although she had grown a little. It was his adopted daughter. He heard Sean say, "That is Penny, short for Penance." He slowly approached her. Deep down, he had been dreaming of this day, the day he would see his daughter again. Most times, he thought the day it would come would be the day they meet in the Lord's kingdom. Now he knew better. He continued walking toward her, hearing Sean say "Be careful, she can cut ye just with a touch." He ignored the words and embraced the girl. He heard several gasps, but they were gasps of disbelief. Sean then said, "Saints preserve us, not one mark. How???"   
He turned and looked and the group and said, "Everyone, I do believe Carmen is being duped, and that we have to tell her." He then looked down at the girl in his arms, and whispered, "I promise never to let that maniac to get a hold of you again." The girl in his arms just looked at him and smiled. She had been a mute too long, and he knew she had to speak, or else everyone here would suffer. 

************************************** 

Emplate felt a small pain in his mind. It was in the area where he marked all those he enthralled. The pain was of slave breaking their bonds. He relized at that moment that Penance was free. They had to act now, but he could not let Carmen know. He had read her dossier on the incident where she made Penance an orphan. The trick now was tricking Carmen into capturing Penance, without her knowing she was doing it. He saw Carmen enter the room. He had to know, "Is everything ready?"   
She nodded and said, "The trap for your sister is ready, as is a way to neutralize Silverkidd."   
He hoped that neutralized meant terminate. He looked at Carmen and said, "So, he will no longer be a problem?"   
She just glanced at him and said, "As much as I would love to kill him myself, if I do so, Acme will come down on me faster than ants on a picnic. And if it is because of you that I fall, I'll make sure they catch you as well." He could tell she wasn't bluffing. His only hope for this to work was for Carmen to capture the target and get out of there, before Silverkidd, Cyber, or what ever alias he could come up with, knew it was happening.   
"Alright, now how do you plan to neutralize him?"   
He saw the cyborg scientist enter the room. In his hands were a device, very small, but it looked very powerful. The scientist then said, "This device will emit a electromagnetic wave at the inverse of the wavelength that Silverkidd's cybernetic armor works on. It will render him immobile, and in terrific pain, until we depart."   
Emplate liked the sound of this. "Good. We must move quickly. The longer that he is with Generation X, the more likely he might discover my involvement. When he knows, he will be fast to notify Acme. I have bait for your trap. I shall have it placed in the trap by my servent. We leave immediately." He left the room. He had to tell D. to get everything ready. 

Carmen noticed that Marius had gotten very fidgity. Something was prompting this. Maybe he was afraid of Acme being so close to his hideout. Her own detective instincts were bothering her. "Something is fishy. He's been hiding something, and something is prompting this fast action. Belljar, what do you remember of the file on Marius St. Croix that we had retrieve before the lock down."   
The cyborg pushed a few buttons on his arm and then said, "He had three younger siblings. He's the son of a Algerian Aristocrat. He studies included magic." He smiled and then said, "Here is something very interesting. He graduated from the Acme Academy in the same year as Silverkidd. According to class records, the two never got along. Silverkidd was always suspicious of Marius. His fears were later confirmed."   
Carmen now understood the reason for Marius' rush in the plans. "What about the man hunt for Marius?"   
"Silverkidd was the lone survivor. After watching his fiancee die at the hands of Marius, Acme had him change the files. Lock down most information on his class." There was a pause in his sentance. "Now this is odd. There was an ammendment to Marius' file."   
Carmen walked over to Belljar and said, "It states if a case was found to have a tie to Marius, to call in a special devision of Acme, and to exclude Cyber, for the reason of.."   
The door openned and she looked over at Dr. Bellum. She just said, "They loaded up the trap, full of Apples, for some reason. Marius wants us to get moving." Carmen couldn't help but think that that was the strangest bait for a trap she ever encountered. What did that mean? 

************************************** 

When Sean called all the students together, he was slightly amazed at how fast they moved. But then, with more knowledge than they ever had before on Penance, and a way to help Monet's sisters, he would have been more surprised if they moved slower than they had. He did notice that the Acme Agent looked very uneasy about this. It wasn't until everone entered when he said, "Ok, Care to fill us in on everything, starting from how you know Emplate, and ending with how you know Penance."   
He nodded and Sean noticed how Penance looked at him. There was a look of worry in her eyes, similar to the one a child has for their parents. "First of all, when I met your Emplate character, I was going through the Acme Academy. I am part of what is known in the Academy as the Lost Class."   
Sean heard Jubilee gasp and say, "You never said anything about that."   
The figure just sighed, and continued, "The class consisted of 7 students. They were six mutants, and myself, the first cybernetic agent."   
Sean heard Angelo speak up, "Is that anything similar to those Prime Sentinel things?"   
The agent just rose an eyebrow and said, "No, some of Acme's technology is restricted. The government doesn't have full access to some of the cybernetic technology that Acme has, but I have strayed from the story. Amongst the seven of us, there was two of us never got along. Those two were myself, and Marius St. Croix."   
This time, Monet gasped, and said, "You never said you knew my brother."   
The agent just continued, "He had been a remarkable student at the Academy, excelled in the magical arts. But, I never trusted him. There was something about him that nagged at me. My classmates all thought I was paranoid. After our graduation, our class started dying, mysteriously. After the third death, the remainder of us started to suspect someone of our class. Marius and I accused each other, but it was resolved when a choice was made. We partnered with someone, in my case, I partnered with the girl I had first fallen in love with at the academy." Sean saw a tear at Monet's eye, but the agent just continued. "The one partnered with Marius was discovered a few days later, dead. A manhunt for Marius was issued. Acme made capturing Marius a priority. During the hunt, Marius killed my fiancee." This time, Sean saw a tear come from the eyes of the agent.   
Emma just looked at the agent and said, "Don't continue if it is too painful."   
The agent just wiped his eyes and continued, "When I heard her scream, I came running. I feared the worse, and saw it. Marius stood up, and for the first time, I saw his hands. There were mouths on those hands. In his mind, his murders were so he could survive. He had canaballized off them. That day, Marius looked at me and said, `Too bad, you're not a mutant. I would enjoy killing you. But we will meet again.' He disappeared from site at that moment. I never took another partner, not until much later."   
Gaia, the newest student, looked at the agent and said, "Why didn't you track him down?"   
"Marius had disappeared from sight. I hid all records of his existance. The chief, and a few selected agents were allowed to know about this. I did my best to keep tabs, but he had vanished from this dimension."   
Everett, who like most of the other students, had a look of wonder on his face at this story, said, "Then how did you run into Penance?"   
Sean notice a look of fear in Penance's eyes, and the Acme Agent seemed to comfort her as he continued his tale. "Years later, I chase Carmen into the former country of Yugoslavia. At that time, Carmen had gotten so furious with me catching her that she went to desperate measures to stop me from catching her. She had hitmen come after me, but this time, she tried to take matters into her own hands. She had a very dangerous weapon and pointed it right at me. She fired, and I dodged quickly. I saw the look on Carmen's face. She had missed her target, but the look wasn't frustration, it was fear. She dropped the weapon, and the item she stole. I turned and saw a little girl crying, next to the charred bodies of two adults. Carmen ran, but I didn't pursue. I ran to the side of the girl to comfort her. To try and help her. I felt responsable. I brought her back to Acme HQ, and she was talked to by some psychologists there. In the meantime, I talked the chief of Acme to overlook the incident. It took me hours to convince the chief not to put murder on Carmen's felony list. When we were finished talking, the psychologist came to us with upsetting news. The girl was closing up to the outside world. I then discovered that the little girl was a mutant. It took me more time than I had spent with the chief to convince the girl that Carmen didn't mean to kill her parents. When I finished, she looked at me and asked if she could become and Acme agent. I nodded, and enrolled her in the Acme Academy. I taught her all I knew. She graduated top of her class. The day of her graduation, my adoption of her became legal. Yvette was my daughter."   
They were all dumbfounded. Sean looked on in shock and said, "You mean Penance is really a person named Yvette, but how did Monet get stuck in that form?" He had to admit, knowing now that Penance and Monet had originally been seperate forms was abit disturbing.   
Emma then said, "We should first know how he got a hold of Penance?"   
The agent just shook. He noticed as Jubilee, Monet, and Penance gathered around him, in a comforting way. Sean understood why they would gather close. He meant something to each one of them in a different way. The agent then said, "A few days after Yvette's Graduation, a Carmen styled clue indicated that she was going to rob the St. Croix estate. Yvette and I went there to stop Carmen." He started to choke up on his words. This part was the hardest for him to tell. "It wasn't Carmen, but it was Marius. He challenged me to an Acme Honor battle. He stated the prize would be Yvette."   
Paige spoke up for the first time during the whole telling of this agents tale. "What's an Acme Honor battle?"   
Sean was surprised at how quickly Jubilee answered the question. "It is a fight between two agents, usually to test their skills and strength. No help is offered during these, and no one can interfer. It doesn't end until one surrenders to the other."   
The Acme agent then said, "Surrendering to Marius wasn't an option, but he knew which buttons to push. He triggered all my anger and used it against me. He literally beat me to an inch of my life. I still bear a scar from that battle." At that, Sean watched as the agent openned his right hand. They all were shocked to see it. An almost perfect circular scar, that matched the mouths that adorned Emplate's hands. "That was the last wound Marius inflicted on me. All my robotics were severly damaged, so damaged that I could barely move. I watched as Marius took Yvette away. Heard her yell out for her Papa what I feared would be the last time. I don't know how long it was, but eventually Cartier arrived home. He found me, and had also sent his daughter to her room. He helped me deactivate my armor so I could heal. It would take a week, and I had notified the chief. Over that time, I had fallen in love with Monet, but when the time came, I had to leave. If her brother knew I was still alive, I knew life would be hell for everyone I met. Marius would be afraid I'd come hunting to find my daughter, or if he killed her, to kill him. Acme declared in all records that Agent Silverkidd was dead. But then the chief assigned Jubilee as my partner."   
Sean noticed that Jubilee then spoke the next words. "When you found out I was a mutant, you left, because you didn't want to have Emplate take another partner from you." The agent nodded. "So you joined as Cyber to continue working?"   
Cyber, as he was known now, said, "Yes. I rejoined, but on the restriction that I do not get involved with anything dealing with the hunting of Marius. I am in a stragne situation. Carmen is being duped my Marius. She will stop her attempts when she finds out that Yvette is the target, but the situation with Yvette is more complex then ever."   
Monet just looked at him and said, "Because of my sisters."   
He nodded and said, "The spell Marius most likely used was one that transfered your mind into Yvette's body, locked her mind in there, and destroied your body. I think it might have been what your sisters did that allowed you to be free. But, the only way to free them, is to sacrifice Yvette's body. But her mind would have nothing. It would be destoried in the process. You see, the only one who could free them is Marius."   
There was a look of surprise that went around the room, except on Penance, who had a look of fear on her face. Sean could help but be angry upon hearing that. There had to be a way to save all three of the girls. He thought of Penance as a surrogite daughter, but this was too much. Sean just stood and said, "Cyber, isn't there a thing ye can do that won't result in the death of any one of the three girls in Penance's mind?"   
The agent just looked up, as if something hit him, and said, "The might be a way, but it contains a risk, and only one person can accept that risk." He turned, and as the agent looked, everyone else looked straight and Penance. 

Deep down in his heart, Cyber knew Yvette would take the risk. He watched as she nodded, knowing it meant a good chance at freedom form Marius. He stood up and pushed a button on his watch. Everyone just watched as a blue screen appeared in mid air. In the middle of the screen appeared the face of the chief of Acme. The Chief just looked at him and said, "Hey, you have a progress report, or Carmen in custody."   
He just laughed and said, "How about we leave Carmen be and go for a bigger catch."   
The chief looked at him and said, "Have you taken leave of your senses. What could be bigger than catching Carmen." Cyber just smiled, and the chief knew what he was thinking. "No way, you are forbidden from any case involving him."   
Cyber looked at Monet and motioned her forward. When Monet walked into the chief's view, he said, "Chief, this was Carmen's target, Ms. Monet St. Croix."   
"W-W-W-WHAT?????" The chief always stuttered when he got upset. "Was Carmen after something at her father's house?"   
Cyber just continued, "The Massachuttes Academy is a school for mutants." He motioned Jubilee forward and said, "Guess who's a student is here?"   
The chief's jaw dropped open. When he brought himself back together, he said, "You definately know where to step to stir things up?"   
"Then you'll love this. Monet isn't the real target, and Carmen is being duped."   
The chief didn't like this. He saw a flash of red in the screen as the chief just yelled, "You know you're treading on very thin ice now. Carmen is probably making you think that."   
Cyber just motioned Yvette forward. While she came forward he said, "Let me show you the real target, and how I know that Carmen is conned."   
The chief just said, "Would serve her right, if she was.." He stopped speaking when he saw Yvette. He was dumbfounded. Cyber knew this was the reaction. He motioned for all of the students, and the teachers to come into view with the rest of them. As they arrived, the chief finally said, "Did you hunt him down against orders?"   
Cyber just looked up and said, "No. This school of mutants fight him as foe. Yvette was delivered to them when they openned this school. He goes by a new name now. Marius calls himself Emplate. You, as well as I, both know that Carmen would never do anything to endanger her life. Emplate is manipulating Carmen to do his dirty work. Also, Carmen knows who I am, and there is no doubt that Emplate knows who I am."   
The chief held a look of thought on his face, and finally said, "When Carmen attacks, keep Yvette safe, and do what you must to detain Marius, I mean Emplate. If he knows you are Silverkidd, all bets are that he will take a personal attempt at the capture. If you can, convince Carmen to help you. I shall send agents your way."   
Cyber just said, "Send Ivy, and her brother Zack. Ivy went through the academy with Yvette, and Zack has met Spark. Also, remember the one project we had underway."   
The chief's eyes went wide as he said, "You forbad it. You said that the clones wouldn't be of any help."   
Cyber noticed the looks on all of faces in the room and said, "We have a situation. Marius merged Monet's mind with Yvette's in Yvette's body. She back together, in a way, but her sisters' minds are now trapped in Yvette's body. If they can split, one will die."   
"You want to try a transfer of Yvette's mind to the Yvette clone." When he nodded, the chief said, "She agreed to this, because there is a risk involved, especially in a multiple mind situation."   
"Yes. And have Zack bring a special package." The chief nodded and terminated the link. He turned back to face the group and said, "Where would the safest place be to keep Yvette from Emplate?"   
Everyone was in deep thought when there was a loud crash. It was nearby. Sean turned on a camera and Cyber saw a disturbing site. Emplate had broken down the door to the main hall. He watched Sean turn and say, "Cyber, you and Monet should get Penance to the kitchen. It might be the best place to place them." He nodded and they were off.   
As they raced through the halls, Monet turned to him and said, "What are you going to do when we are safe?" He saw the concern in her eyes. He was afraid to keep Marius busy, he was going to have to fight Marius, even if it meant his death.   
He didn't lie this time. "I will return to the others, and detain your brother until Acme arrives. There is a good chance I won't survive."   
This time, a delicate voice spoke. This was the first time he heard that voice in a long time. "No, Papa, you can't do that. He'll kill you."   
He turned to face her and said, "A responsability of a parent is to take care of their children, even if it means risking their own life just so the child will survive. I would gladly risk my life to make sure you survive." The conversation was cut short when he noticed that Yvette's attention was distracted. He followed her glance and saw what she saw. It was a bowl of apples, and Yvette's one weakness. She loved apples. He watched as she approached and then he saw the beam of light. "No, don't." But it was to late. A red glow encircled her a pulled her out a window. He ran to the window to see what looked like a giant red and white ball attached to one of Carmen's flying vehicles. He activated his suit and jumped out the window to get to Carmen.   
Then it hit him. A strange pain running through his body. He couldn't think straight. Carmen must have discovered the electromagnetic pulse the cybernetics worked on. He started to drop out of the air. Before he hit ground. He was stopped. He glanced up and saw Monet holding him. She said, "I think Carmen is in for a surprise." He nodded and Monet started to fly toward the craft. 

Jubilee went with the rest of Generation X. They had to stop Emplate from getting Penance. They had to hope that Carmen was with him. If she was, it meant that Penny was safe. She still couldn't belief what she heard about Emplate, but deep down, it made sense. It explained why Emplate could think of some of the schemes he had developed, but it was the only way Emplate could manipulate Carmen Sandiego. Now, they had to detain Emplate while Acme arrived. She was worried what her former partner would do to detain Emplate. He didn't have his cybernetic armor anymore, and he was nearly killed when he had it. She didn't want to think about what would happen. When they all arrived at the main hall, they noticed that Emplate only had Burwalk with him, but she figured that another of Emplate's hellions had to be around. She noticed that Emplate looked up in their direction when they entered the hall and said, "Well, well, I would have expected my sister here as well, but I bet she's preoccupied."   
Jubilee watched as Sean said, "Yes, she is, keeping Penance away from ye."   
Jubilee couldn't help but add her two bits. "We figured out that you were after Penance, Emplate. But why not have Carmen take her instead of just your sister." She then noticed the glare he gave her. She realized that she said too much. She remembered being told more than once that her czutzpah would get her into trouble more than once.   
She couldn't help the fear building in her when Emplate just said, "You all already know the reason. I knew that much, but I didn't know how much you knew. But I will have Penance soon enough. I never lose those I have enthralled." She could tell by the looks on everyone's faces that this wasn't good. "In fact, I figured that her father would do anything to keep her out of my grip if he found her. I even manipulated Carmen to capture her this time, I just have to keep all of you preoccupied. Vincent, Burwalk, detain Generation X." At that time, she saw a purple mist forming in the room. It was Vincent. He could easily turn into a gas.   
Sean turned and said, "Synch, you and Gaia slow down Vincent." Instantly, she saw Synch use his abilities to duplicate Gaia's and Vincent changed from a gas to a liquid form. She noticed that Emma was trying to contain Vincent in some sort of psi-container.   
She heard Skin say, "We'll hand big and ugly," as he, Chamber and Husk went to detain Burwalk. Jubilee wasn't sure how the three of them were going to do it, but she had confidence in them. That left her to help Banshee with Emplate. She didn't like the odds.   
She heard Banshee wail his sonic scream, and watched as Emplate jumped out of the way, but into her line of fire. She leveled her hand and fired out two streams of her fireworks. "Hey Snuffy, chew on this," she yelled at him as each shot hit him.   
He just looked at her and said, "Don't mind if I do." He just absorbed the shoots and redirected them and Banshee, knocking him back. She looked at Emplate and started to back up. She didn't want him to grab her. Jubilee didn't fire again. She need a new plan. She needed something to give her an advantage. She started to wish she still had her cybernetic armor from Acme. It was then that she was hit with overwelming pain. She collapsed onto the floor, trying to figure out what had just happened. She just heard a hollow laughter as she saw Emplate standing over her. This was not good. 

Carmen was smiling. She saw her most persistant enemy fall to his doom. There was nothing he could do to stop her. She double checked the traps readout, seeing that she had indeed had captured the target, for that was the only one Marius said would go for the bait. She then said, "Time to go. We have our prize."   
As Bellum and Belljar were about to start flying her out of there, she heard a voice say, "You're making a mistake, Carmen." She was shocked when she notice the voice that said it. She turned around to see Cyber still in the air.   
"How??? You're supposed to be on the ground."   
"Carmen, Marius has duped you."   
She glanced at the figure again. She honestly thought Cyber was telling the truth, but could he be right. She then noticed that the figure carrying him was the target. She looked in amazement and said to Bellum. "Give me an inside view of the trap, now."   
Bellum looked at her and nodded. Soon, a screen lit up and Bellum gasped. "Carmen, Monet isn't in there, but take a look." Carmen glanced at the screen and was shocked.   
"Deactivate the trap, and head back to Vile HQ. For once, Acme isn't the enemy." She pushed a button on her coat, and a set of wings appeared out of her jacket. She lept out of the flying device she had and flew down, as the trap openned. She had suspicions, and prepared for them, just in case. She grabbed the figure and yelled up to the doctors, "And deactivate the scrambler." As she landed on the ground, she watched as Cyber started flying again. When he and Monet were on the ground, she said, "I am truely sorry, Silverkidd. If I had known this all along, I would have never agreed to help Marius.   
She watch as her longtime foe just hugged the figure and said, "I know, Carmen, but now we must make sure that the chief catches him for good this time." She nodded. She knew now that Marius had taken Yvette from Silverkidd those years ago. She finally understood that she was being used to recapture Yvette. It was time to end the horror that Yvette had suffered since then.   
Carmen looked at all them and said, "Marius is in the main hall. If I know you, Silverkidd, you have Acme on the way." He nodded and she said, "I have a plan." They all huddled and she told them her plan.   
There was a little chuckle and they looked at Yvette. She just said, "I think he is going to get what he deserves." They all then ran to the main hall. Carmen was going to bring the worst Acme felon down. 

Emplate looked at the fallen form of Jubilee and laughed. He looked at her and said, "I would never have pegged you as an Acme Agent, but then how you humiliated me that one time can only explain it." He heard her moan in pain.   
He noticed Sean had gotten up and said, "What have ye done to her, ye monster?"   
He watched as Burwalk hit Sean and then said, "Nothing yet, the cybernetics in her are just being assulted by a certain signal. She has forgotten that they are in her, no doubt, but out of phase. They are so inactive that the second that signal started, they tried to activate so they could deactivate. No doubt that she would rather die right now than suffer." He slowly reached down to grab the pain racked form at his feet. Then he heard a loud crash. He spun quickly and saw something he hoped he wouldn't see.   
The chandeler in the hall was right near his feet and in the doorway was Carmen, Monet, Yvette, and Cyber, or Silverkidd as he knew him. The last one spoke and said, "You aren't going to do a thing to her, you bastard." Another blast hit Emplate and he flew into the wall. The figure then said, "Carmen, Yvette, Monet, get Jubilee up to the top. And pray the package gets here soon. After that signal you sent out Carmen, she might not survive."   
Emplate recovered from the blow and shouted, "Burwalk, Vincent, stop the Acme Agent." Emplate watched as his two minions ran at his oldest advisary. He was not going to let Silverkidd win. He watched in shock as the two Hellions were shot with a strange device on the agents arm.   
When his minions where caught, Silverkidd turned to him and said, "Now Marius, you are going down."   
Emplate could not stop himself from laughing. He just looked at Silverkidd and said, "I defeated you the last time we met, what makes you think you have a chance now." He watched as Silverkidd rushed at him with what appeared to be a claw like Yvette's. He backhanded his foe and sent Silverkidd flying into the wall. He watched as Silverkidd collapsed onto the floor. The agent was weak from the scrambling device.   
He heard two gasps from the direction of the door. He turned to see two more Acme agents there. The taller of the two, a female looked at him and said, "No wonder the chief told us to hurry Zack."   
Emplate just laughed and said, "Welcome Zack and Ivy. Prepare to see the death of Cyber, or as I know him, Silverkidd." He saw the two gasp and noticed that not one of Gen X tried to jump in. Maybe they thought this was an Acme Honor battle. Silverkidd must have told them about it. 

Ivy looked up from the sight before and saw Carmen on the upper level of the room. Something in her wanted to catch Carmen, but the chief said that Carmen was on their side for once. Her brother, Zack, said, "I see Spark up there. We need to get this to her." She nodded when she saw the face mask. She then noticed her friend, Yvette, up there.   
She looked and Zack and said, "Your right, but we must find some way to help Silverkidd. If he dies, who will take care of Yvette." Zack nodded and was about to advance.   
She then heard Carmen yell, "Detectives, you better get up here, or else three people might die. I don't think you want that." Ivy knew Carmen wouldn't kill, but Marius would. Ivy and Zack ran up the steps, and saw Jubilation Lee in a huddled mass of pain. Carmen just said, "Zack, do you mind putting the face mask on Jubilation here. If you don't, the cybernetics in her are going to kill her." Ivy looked in shock as she realized what was happening. She watched as Zack covered Jubilee's face with the face mask. There was a sudden burst of light as she saw Jubilee's body get covered with the cybernetic armor.   
Ivy then noticed that the flash didn't go unnotice when she heard Marius yell, "What is that?" She could tell he didn't like what was happening.   
Carmen then said to her, "Why don't you ask Yvette her name?"   
Ivy looked at her, puzzled, and said, "I know her name."   
Carmen looked at her and said, "Detective, do you know what will happen if you don't ask?" The way Carmen said it, Ivy knew that there was a reason for this request.   
Ivy turned to Yvette, and softly said, "Can you tell me your name?"   
She saw a smile come to her friends face. Something was in the works, and she stepped right into it. She realized that Carmen and Silverkidd must have come up with this plan. She listened as Yvette yelled at the top of her lungs her name. She heard one person in white say, "I never knew Penance could talk, let alone yell."   
Then, Ivy heard a startled voice yell, "No. It can't be." She looked out at Cyber, and he was glowing in the same light that Jubilee was glowing in, except it lasted much shorter. Silverkidd was back, and better than before. 

Jubilee noticed that all the pain was gone, but even better she was back as an agent. She was amazed when she heard Penance speak, as was most of the school, but she was even more amzaed when she saw Silverkidd back in his armor. She watch as he got up and started to literally beat up Emplate. She listened as he said, "You know Marius, if this were an Acme Honor battle, you would have won by now, but one thing is different. You know what that is."   
She watched as Emplate took a swing and said, "What is that?" She watched Emplate try to roundhouse Silverkidd, but miss.   
She then knew what Silverkidd meant. She jumped the banister, with sparks flying and yelled, "You're not Acme." With her cybernetics, her plasma blasts were a little stonger. The tide had turned. She watched as Penance smiled at the sight. Monet flew down and struck at her brother. Soon, all of Gen X were striking at Emplate.   
She noticed that Emplate finally ran for the door. He just said, "This is not the end." When he hit the doorway, Jubilee noticed a bright light behind Emplate and that he stopped in shock.   
She heard the voice of Acme's chief say, "Marius St. Croix, you are under arrest for the murders of several Acme Agents." She watched in stunned silence as Emplate laughed and faded from sight. The chief floated in the door and said, "Maybe I should have cuffed him first."   
She just said, "Maybe. Hey chief, do you think you could consider reinstating me after I learn all I need to know here." It was worth a shot, and maybe she could work with her partner again."   
The chief said, "No. But I will reinstate you now, and deputize the school until Marius is brought to justice." She laughed and the whole school cheered. The chief then said, "Silverkidd, it's ready." She watched as a C-5 corridor appeared. This meant only one thing. Penance was going to be taken care of. She watched as every Acme Agent went into the C-5. She also noticed that Carmen was gone.   
She stopped her former partner and said, "Where's Carmen?"   
He looked at her and said, "She left. It was all part of the plan. Carmen is a very cunning person. One day, I think she'll return to Acme, and don't worry about Yvette. Do you follow that, Spark." She nodded. She watched as both Penance and her friend entered the C-5. When it disappeared, she remove her face plate and the armor disappeared.   
Everett walked up to her and said, "Don't worry. I'm sure everything will be ok." She smiled and hugged him. She then left and went to her room. 

************************************************ 

Days had passed since the incident with Carmen Sandiego. Monet was starting to get worried about her sisters. Had something gone wrong? She was scare for them. Would they be ok, and if so, would Yvette be ok. She head a tapping at the door to her dorm room. She openned the door and saw Penance. In her hand was what looked like a video tape. She ran from the room and found everyone. When they reached the TV room, she put the tape in and turned it on. The image of a countryside appeared and there was the Silverkidd, and Yvette. He then spoke, "We wanted to let you know that all went well. Right now, we have gone someplace and sometime different from our own. Yvette needed to recoupe more from her ordeal with Marius. We also wanted him to know he can't catch her ever again. The Xavier School has been recorded into the Acme Agency as a safehaven for Mutant agents. There is talk about sending some of our trainies from the Academy there. Also, they found Marius' hideout, and are doing a stakeout for his return. Lastly, I hate to tell you this Monet, but when we met, I never told you the truth about my name. It hurts for me to say this, but it has been so long since I have used my real name that I have forgotten it. I want all of you to take care of yourselves, and get along with each other. That goes doubly so for you Monet. I know how you like to think your superior to all, but that makes enemies faster than it makes friends." There was the sound of many animals and Silverkidd said, "Yvette has started caring for a pet in this world and due to events, we can communicate with them. They are singing now, with a newcomer, but all will be well. We will visit again one day, so take care." The video ended and she looked at the screen in stunned silence. Maybe she needed to rethink how she appears to others. Even Richard Silver, or whoever he was, wasn't all that he appeared to be to her. 

Case End. 


End file.
